Grand Divisions

Tennessee Equality Project seeks to advance and protect the civil rights of our State’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons and their families in each Grand Division.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Editorial challenges UT-Martin to work toward fairness

Will York of the UT-Martin Pacer devotes a substantial portion of his editorial to the stalled nondiscrimination policy at the school.

Most of the time, this injustice never directly touched me, and it was easier for me to be fair and emotionally detached from both sides of the story.

But now the Executive Committee for the Faculty Senate - with advice from lawyers in high places - has once again mangled the will of students, and the sexual orientation amendment isn't on the agenda for Tuesday's meeting.

One member of the committee said religious students may be offended by codifying the university's position against discrimination. A lofty and powerful visitor to their meeting said UTM is opening itself up to lawsuits. Others said discrimination against gays is simply not a problem on this campus.

Does this rhetoric sound like a progressive college campus, or is this - despite what I was told as a prospective high school senior - yet another example of the intolerance the South is so noted for? Campuses should be open and accepting to all viewpoints and walks of life; even if my path of gay vegetarianism offends your frail moral sensibilities, I should still be given human respect.

Fairness also includes keeping your word.

To that end, administrators should not mislead - intentionally or accidentally - students into making decisions with their money, or anything else.

I hope the SGA will continue to effectively challenge administrators to maintain fairness, and I hope SGA will be accountable to itself to be effective.

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This blog explores the divisions both grand and not so grand that confront Tennessee politics today. Grand Divisions is produced by members of the Tennessee Equality Project, TEP PAC, and the TEP Foundation. Contributors address a variety of issues at the federal, state, and local level, particularly as they shape the fight for equality in Tennessee. The opinions expressed on this blog do not necessarily represent the views or positions of TEP.